Product Characteristic Selection Website

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an Internet wire-mesh merchandising system that comprises a webserver for generating a web presence. Potential customers looking to select and buy wire mesh are allowed to log-on to a website operated by a wire-mesh retailer, distributor, and manufacturer. An HTML product page includes navigation buttons that link to other HTML product pages. Each page further includes JPG or GIF type pictures that allow the shopper to see a particular wire mesh product corresponding to a presently displayed HTML product page. A group of alternate-view buttons link to other pictures of the same product that show variations or different perspectives. A set of four navigation buttons permit the shopper to hyperlink to HTML product pages where the wire mesh is finer, coarser, thinner, and thicker. Once the link is taken, a graphic is presented that corresponds to the selected wire-mesh. The list of hyperlinks includes only those HTML product pages that represent available combinations of wire-mesh material, wire size, and mesh count. A “price” and an “order” hypertext allow the shopper to see the product price for the selected item and to order it electronically.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/692,817, filed Mar. 28, 2007, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/357,803, filed Feb.3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,013, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/507,474, filed Feb. 17, 2000, now U.S.Pat. No. 6,552,739, each of which is incorporated herein in its entiretyby this reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to Internet websites, and morespecifically to web pages organized in such a way that a user can browsethrough all the available types of wire mesh products of a particularsupplier and select one for purchase.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Wire mesh and wire cloth come in many different combinations of weave,material, mesh sizes, wire diameters, and welding. Although hundreds orthousands of different combinations are possible, it may not bepractical for a particular supplier to offer all the combinations. Somecombinations of weave, material, mesh sizes, wire diameters, and weldingare also not manufacturable e.g., a wire diameter that is so large themesh openings are closed up or exceeded.

Buyers can often make ordering mistakes in selecting a wire mesh or wirecloth because the impossible or unavailable combinations are sometimestoo subtle to understand. Ordering the wrong thing can be frustratingfor all those involved. The Internet now makes it possible for users tolog onto a business' website to select and order products.

Suppliers like TWP, Inc. (Berkeley, Calif.) offer at least threefamilies of mesh materials, e.g., woven wire mesh, welded stainlesssteel mesh, and galvanized hardware cloth. The woven wire mesh includesa range of traditional to ultra-fine, high-tech alloy, screen materials.The welded stainless steel mesh is a strong, precise material with anaccurate grid pattern and relatively large holes. The galvanizedhardware cloth includes a range of steel mesh protected by a heavy dutyzinc coating, e.g., for use in outdoor and industrial environments. Suchmaterials are conventionally stocked in 36-inch and 48-inch wide rollsin 100-foot lengths. But rolls up to 300-inches wide can be bought onspecial order.

Wire cloth is the proper name for what is commonly called screen ormesh. Such material is known for its high strength, wear resistance,ability to withstand high temperatures, and long service life. Wirecloth is woven like textile cloth. So-called market grade wire cloth arewoven wire meshes suitable for general purpose work.

Materials that can be used include stainless steel type 304, brass,copper. A line of special woven meshes are available in stainless steeltype 316, aluminum, bronze, inconel, nickel, steel and epoxy-coatedsteel. The user's choice of metal is determined by the product-operationenvironment and constraining cost considerations.

The wire-mesh hole size, e.g., the distance between two adjacentparallel wires, is a function of both the mesh count and wire diameter.Changing either will change the opening size. The usual opening sizesvary from one-inch openings down to microscopic. The choice of awire-mesh opening size is determined by the desired sizes of objects tobe retained or allowed to pass through. The mesh is the number ofopenings in a linear inch, measured from the center of one wire to apoint one-inch distant.

Two weaves are conventionally available, plain and twilled. The plainweave has an over-one/under-one weave. Such type of wire cloth hassquare or rectangular openings, and is the simplest and most commonweave used in screening and separating applications. The twilled weaveis woven with an over-two/under-two weave with wedge-shaped openings.Such weave is generally considered stronger than plain weave and isoften used in filtration.

The typical welded stainless steel wire mesh is formed of wires that arefused together at their junctions into a grid. Automatic welding loomsare used that accurately position all the shorter (weft) wires over thelonger (warp) wires and spot-weld the intersections. These special loomscan produce strong, consistent welds without any burning ordiscoloration.

The standard welded-stainless-steel-wire-mesh material is type 304stainless steel because of its high corrosion resistance and strength atelevated temperatures. Type 304 stainless steel is also referred to as“18-8”, meaning eighteen percent chromium (18% Cr) and eight percentnickel (8% Ni). TWP, Inc. also provides 5 stainless steel types 304L,316, 316L and other stainless alloys on request.

Standard welded wire mesh openings are always square or rectangular, andrange from 0.218 inch to 0.979 inch. Meshes from 4-mesh to 1-mesh areusually stocked, and much larger meshes with up to 10-inch openings and0.393 inch wire diameter can be obtained on special order.

Galvanized hardware cloth is typically used in partitions, grills,vents, cages and guards, wherever economical, sturdy,corrosion-resistant material is required. Galvanized hardware cloth is alightweight, economical steel mesh that is protected from atmosphericcorrosion by the application of a heavy duty zinc coating, e.g., hot-dipgalvanizing. The zinc coating encapsulates the mesh for excellentcorrosion protection and a firm, non-raveling product.

The hardware cloth openings are relatively large compared to those ofwoven mesh, e.g., they range from 0.108 inch to 0.459 inch. Thegalvanizing process slightly decreases the opening size by about0.004-0.006 inches. Several special hardware cloth specifications calledvent meshes offer larger open areas for increased air flow rates.Readily available galvanized hardware cloth is stocked in 2-mesh,4-mesh, and 8-mesh. Other special meshes are manufactured as required.The 2-mesh and 4-mesh is available woven or welded and the 8-meshhardware cloth is woven.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An Internet wire-mesh merchandising system embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a webserver that generates a web presence. Potentialcustomers looking to select and buy wire mesh are allowed to log-on to awebsite operated by a wire-mesh retailer, distributor, and manufacturer.An HTML product page includes navigation buttons that link to other HTMLproduct pages. Each page further includes JPG or GIF type pictures thatallow the shopper to see a particular wire mesh product corresponding toa presently displayed HTML product page. A group of alternate-viewbuttons link to other pictures of the same product that show variationsor different perspectives. A set of four navigation buttons permit theshopper to hyperlink to HTML product pages where the wire mesh is finer,coarser, thinner, and thicker. Once the link is taken, a graphic ispresented that corresponds to the selected wire-mesh. The list ofhyperlinks includes only those HTML product pages that representavailable combinations of wire-mesh material, wire size, and mesh count.A “price” and an “order” hypertext allow the shopper to see the productprice for the selected item and to order it electronically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an Internet wire-meshmerchandising system embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a graphical user interface for an HTML productpage as it presents on a web browser operated by a user at a networkclient site;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that represents the navigation that occursbetween HTML product pages as a result of a user clicking on any of fourhyperlink buttons for finer, coarser, thicker, and thinner;

FIG. 4 is a diagram that represents a design form for a HTML productpage, e.g., for a “004X004G035” wire-mesh product, and such is used by awebpage designer as a tool for HTML coding;

FIG. 5 is a diagram that represents a design form for a HTML productpage, e.g., for a “008X008G017” wire-mesh product, and such is used as atool for HTML coding;

FIG. 6 is a diagram that represents a design form for a HTML productpage, e.g., for a “002X002D041” wire-mesh product, and such is used as atool for HTML coding; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram that represents a design form for a HTML productpage, e.g., for a “004X004D025” wire-mesh product, and such is used as atool for HTML coding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an Internet wire-mesh merchandising system embodimentof the present invention, referred to herein by the reference numeral100. The system 100 comprises a webserver 102 connected to the Internet104 and many clients or shoppers 106-112. The webserver 102 interfacesto the Internet 104 with a network interface controller (NIC) 106. Aninteractive webpage user interface 108 provides functionality similar toMicrosoft Corporation (Redmond, Wash.) Active Server Pages (ASP). AnInternet file and application server 110, such as Microsoft InternetInformation Server (IiS), runs under control of an operating system 112,e.g., Microsoft Windows-NT server. The ASP 108 and liS 110 togethergenerate a web presence on the Internet. An expansion bus 114 supports adatabase 116 and a general purpose storage disk 118. Various MicrosoftWindows-NT services can run without requiring a user to be logged on tothe system, e.g., Microsoft SOL Server, Microsoft Exchange Server,Dynamic Host Interface Protocol (DHCP), and even Windows Internet NameService (WINS) servers. These are preferably stored in disk 118.

FIG. 2 represents a graphical user interface (GUI) 200 that is presentedto an Internet user on a web browser, e.g., Netscape Communicator andMicrosoft Internet Explorer. Such GUI is generated by the ASP 108 andIIS 110 (FIG. 1) when the user logs on to the uniform resource locator(URL) address of the website operator. The GUI 200 includes a navigationwindow 202, a sample picture window 204, a ruler 206 for scale, and acomments field 208. The navigation window 202 permits the user tonavigate through wire-mesh product samples that have finer mesh, coarsermesh, thicker wires, and thinner wires, e.g., by clicking on a set ofhyperlink buttons 210-213, respectively. The materials used in thewire-mesh product pictured in window 204; can be selected by clicking onany of several buttons 214-222, e.g., Brass, Bronze, Copper, Galvanized,Micronic, Sintered, Welded Stainless Steel (SIS), Woven Stainless Steel,and Other. It may occur that meshes and wire sizes available in onematerial may not be available in another material. Amplifying remarksabout the wire-mesh product currently selected are provided in thecomments field 208.

The website design is such that the discrete products the user can vieware those that the seller operating webserver 102 is offering for sale,or at least are those that the seller can actually produce and deliver.

The ruler 206 is a scale provided for the user to understand a picture224 of a wire-mesh product being presented in window 204. Alternativeviews of the product, if available, can be accessed by clicking on a setof alternative view buttons 226-228. Such alternate views are presentedinstead of an initial sample product in picture 224. It the user iscurious about the price of the product currently displayed in picture224, a price button 230 is used to go to a webpage with current pricing.An order button 232 can be clicked-on to take the user to a productordering we bpage. A search button 234 and a help button 236 areprovided for navigation help.

A dataflow 300 in FIG. 3 represents the effects of the finer-mesh,coarser-mesh, thicker-wires, and thinner-wires hyperlink buttons 210-213(FIG. 2). For example, a starting position 302 is for a hot-dippedgalvanized 4×4 mesh with 0.035″ diameter wire. A finernavigation-direction 304 takes the user to a hot-dipped galvanized8-mesh with 0.017″ diameter wire in a position 306. Such represents theonly choice for finer mesh from the starting position 302, a thinnerwire is necessitated by requesting a finer (higher count) mesh. Acoarser navigation-direction takes the user to a hot-dipped galvanized2-mesh with 0.041″ diameter wire in a position 310. Such represents theonly choice for coarser mesh from the starting position 302. A thickerwire is not necessitated by requesting a coarser (lower count) mesh, butthe thicker 0.041″ diameter wire represents the only productconfiguration the seller chooses to produce and sell. A thickernavigation-direction 312 points to a no-link position 314. Such occurswhen there is no available product choice in that direction. A thinnernavigation-direction 316 takes the user to a hot-dipped galvanized4-mesh with 0.025″ diameter wire in a position 318. Such represents thenext choice for thinner-wire mesh from the starting position 302. Themesh count remains at 4-mesh.

The dataflow 300 in FIG. 3 can be used by a web designer in implementingembodiments of the webserver 02 (FIG. 1). A more detained implementationwould be assisted by creating webpage fill-in forms like thoseillustrated in FIGS. 4-7. A commercially marketed computer program soldby FileMaker, Inc., called FILEMAKER-PRO, provided good results for suchforms.

FIG. 4 diagrams a form 400 that corresponds to the implementation ofposition 302 (FIG. 3). A folder name 402 is filled-in with“004X004G035.HTML”, e.g., the hypertext mark-up language (HTML) for 4×4mesh galvanized 0.035″ diameter. A URL 404 designates where the HTMLfile will be found on the Internet, e.g.,“http://www.TWPINC.com/004X004G035.html”. This is read, using hypertexttransfer protocol, within the World Wide Web, at TWPINC.com, file004X004G035.html. In actuality, the domain name server (DNS) convertsthe “TWPINC.com” part to a four-place Internet protocol (IP) address inthe form “00.00.00.00”. A category box 406 allows for a common grouping,e.g., “Hot Dipped Galvanized Wire Mesh”. A description box 408 is usedto enter the common product name, e.g. “4-Mesh 0.035 Wire Diameter”. Apart number box 410 provides information necessary to order thisproduct, e.g., “004X004G035”. A photo-ID box 412 identifies which GIF orJPG picture file relates to this particular product, e.g., “252”. Suchinformation is used to control what appears in product picture 224 (FIG.2). A ruler-size box 414 is filled in with information that correspondsto the scale used in the picture file recited in the photo-ID box 412.For example, “3 by 2 inches”. A horizontal dimension box 416 isfilled-in with the number of holes, left-to-right, represented in theproduct picture. A vertical dimension box 418 is filled-in with thenumber of holes, top-to-bottom, represented in the product picture. Aphoto-comment box 420 provides for comments about the product picture. Aphoto-comment link box 422 provides for a file or URL link toinformation about the product picture. A comments-done? box 424 allowswork-in-progress to be marked.

A four-way navigation symbol 426 signals the four directions a user cannavigate, and corresponds to navigation window 202, especially buttons210-213 (FIG. 2). A next-finer weave box 428 indicates a productdescription, file, or URL to be taken, e.g. “008X008G017”. A next-linkphoto box 430 corresponds to the item in the next-finer weave box 428. Anext-lighter-wire box 432 indicates a product description, file, or URLto be taken, e.g. “004X004G025”. A next-link photo box 434 correspondsto the item in the next-lighter-wire box 432. A next-heavier-wire box436 indicates a product description, file, or URL to be taken, e.g.“no-link”. See, position 314 (FIG. 3). A next-link photo box 438corresponds to the item in the next-heavier-wire box 436. A next-coarserweave box 440 indicates a product description, file, or URL to be taken,e.g. “002X002D041”. A next-link photo box 442 corresponds to the item inthe next-coarser weave box 440. A comments box 444 includes remarks thatthe webpage designer wants to appear in the comments field (FIG. 2).Similarly, a price-table comments box 446 includes remarks that thewebpage designer wants to appear when prices are quoted. An alternateview-1 box 448 is used for alternative product photos that will bedisplayed as picture 224 in response to clicking on button 226 (FIG. 2).An alternate view-2 box 450 is used for alternative product photos thatwill be displayed as picture 224 in response to clicking on button 228(FIG. 2). An Excel spreadsheet name box 452 is used to link to acorresponding prices file, e.g., as would be invoked in response toclicking button 230 (FIG. 2). A disk Excel spreadsheet name box 456 isincluded.”

FIG. 5 diagrams a form 500 that corresponds to the implementation ofposition 306 (FIG. 3). A folder name 502 is filled-in with“008X008G017.HTML”, e.g. the hypertext mark-up language (HTML) file for8×8 mesh galvanized 0.017″ diameter. An URL 504 designates where theHTML file will be found on the Internet, e.g. “ . . ./008X008G017.html”. The rest of the form 500 is similar to thatrepresented in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 diagrams a form 600 that corresponds to the implementation ofposition 310 (FIG. 3). A folder name 602 is filled-in with“002X002G041.HTML”, e.g. the hypertext mark-up language (HTML) file for2×2 mesh galvanized 0.041″ diameter. An URL 504 designates where theHTML file will be found on the Internet, e.g. “ . . ./002X002G041.html”. The rest of the form 600 is similar to thatrepresented in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 diagrams a form 700 that corresponds to the implementation ofposition 318 (FIG. 3). A folder name 702 is filled-in with“004X004D025.HTML”, e.g. the hypertext mark-up language (HTML) file for4×4 mesh galvanized 0.025″ diameter. An URL 504 designates where theHTML file will be found on the Internet, e.g. “ . . ./004X004G025.html”. The rest of the form 700 is similar to thatrepresented in FIG. 4.

Although the invention is preferably described herein with reference tothe preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily appreciatethat other applications may be substituted for those set forth hereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the Claims includedbelow.

1. A product characteristic selection Internet website system,comprising: a webserver for connection to the Internet and providing forinteractive webpages based on hypertext markup language (HTML); agraphic user interface (GUI) based on an HTML product characteristicpage; a product characteristic picture included in the GUI andrepresenting a current product characteristic selection; and a four-waynavigation control included in the GUI that permits an Internet-clientuser to hyperlink to other product characteristics.
 2. The productcharacteristic selection Internet website system of claim 1, wherein:the four-way navigation control includes a button to hyperlink to afirst product characteristic selection.
 3. The product characteristicselection Internet website system of claim 2, wherein: the four-waynavigation control includes a button to hyperlink to a second productcharacteristic selection.
 4. The product characteristic selectionInternet website system of claim 1, wherein: the GUI includes a buttonto replace the product picture with an alternative view of a currentlyselected product.
 5. The product characteristic selection Internetwebsite system of claim 1, wherein: the GUI includes a button tohyperlink to a price quotation of a currently selected product.
 6. Theproduct characteristic selection Internet website system of claim 1,wherein: the GUI includes a button to hyperlink to an order form toplace an order for a currently selected product.
 7. The productcharacteristic selection Internet website system of claim 1, wherein:the GUI includes a ruler to represent the scale of a currently selectedproduct shown in the product picture.
 8. A material selection Internetwebsite system, comprising: a webserver for connection to the Internetand providing for interactive product pages; a graphic user interface(GUI) based on an available material product page; a material productpicture included in the GUI and representing a current material productselection; and a four-way navigation control included in the GUI thatpermits an Internet-client user to hyperlink to other available materialproduct pages.
 9. The material selection internet website system ofclaim 8, wherein the interactive product pages are based on hypertextmarkup language (HTML).
 10. The material selection Internet websitesystem of claim 8, wherein the available material product pages arebased on hypertext markup language (HTML).
 11. The material selectionInternet website system of claim 8, wherein the GUI further comprises amechanism to replace the material product picture with an alternativeview of a currently selected material product.
 12. The materialselection Internet website system of claim 8, wherein the GUI furthercomprises a button to hyperlink to a price quotation of a currentlyselected material product.
 13. The material selection Internet websitesystem of claim 8, wherein the GUI further comprises a button tohyperlink to an order form to place an order for a currently selectedmaterial product.
 14. A user interface for item selection from within aclass of available items, the class of available items having at leastone variable, common property, comprising: a navigation mechanismcomprising at least one selection category based upon the variable,common property; an item description page for presenting one of theavailable items having a first common property value locatable withinthe selection category; at least one alternate item description page forpresenting an alternate available item comprising a common propertyvalue within the selection category which is different than the firstcommon property value; and a link between the item description page andat least one alternate description page corresponding to user selectionof a particular common property value within the navigation mechanism.15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the item description pagesare based on hypertext markup language (HTML).
 16. The user interface ofclaim 14, wherein the navigation mechanism comprises four-way navigationfor the selectable product characteristics.
 17. The user interface ofclaim 14, further comprising: a mechanism to replace an image of thecurrently selected available item with an alternative view of thecurrently selected item.
 18. The user interface of claim 14, furthercomprising: a hyperlink to a price quotation of a currently selecteditem.
 19. The user interface of claim 14, further comprising: ahyperlink to an order form to place an order for a currently selectedproduct.